Andamanian Island Republic
1942 - 1945|image2= |anthem = We are Andamania!|capital = Port Burma|largest_city = Banda Aceh|official_languages = English|national_languages = English Burmese Malay Asiatic languages Indigenous languages|ethnic_groups = 52.8% Asian 40.2% White 6% Native 1% other|religion = 43.4% Buddhism 27.5% Christianity 8.1% Hindu/Islam 21% Atheism/Non-religious|demonym = Andamanian|population_(estimated) = 127,835|government_type = Unitary presidential republic|president = Richard Arroyo|prime_minister = Harold Tblisi|independence_from = Britain/Japan, April 1942|currency = Andaman pound|time_zone = UTC + 5:30|drives_on_the = left}} The , also called the Andaman Islands Republic, or simply Andamania, was a short lived island country that existed during the second half of World War II. Originally a part of Burma/Myanmar, it was granted freedom after Japan invaded Burma in early 1942. British politicians controlled the island, and did so until Japan unoccupied the land in Burma in 1945. In October of 1945, Burmese forces peacefully took over the island. Afterwards, it was merged into British Burma until Britain granted its own independence in 1948. Geographical features Andamania covered the entirety of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as a small section of pro-independent Indonesian territory and a small area of Burma uncontrolled by the Japanese invaders. During this time, the country did not consist of any states or provinces, rather as just a small country with several islands. The capital was originally titled Port Blair, however it was renamed to Port Burma in Summer of 1942. The largest city in the country was Banda Aceh, a port city located within the Indonesian territory. Other notable cities included Talla, located in Burma, and Ralansa, two islands south of the capital. Of its notably small 127,835 population, about 65% of them lived in Banda Aceh and Port Burma. The remainder lived in other towns/villages, or on secluded and private estates. Physical geography and economy Andamania consisted of several islands that were the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These islands contained expansive jungles, as well as atolls and beaches. The most populated islands had accommodating roads and comfortably-spaced urban areas. The small count of scarcely-populated islands contained large estates for important families or foreign workers. Due to its short history, the economy was very limited and focused almost entirely on a basic (but not outdated) trading circle. Exporting mostly consisted of fish and tropical fruits, while importing mostly consisted of wood, petroleum, and construction materials (steel, tools, pulleys, etc.). Demographics Because of the former Burmese ownership, most of the population were native Asian people, from Burma, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Many British people also lived on the island, a lot of them being military personnel who escaped Burmese occupation. Some of the islands also contained natives of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the remaining 1% belonged to other ethnicities. The official and national language was English, and all official records and documents were written/spoken in it. Most people in the country had a satisfactory understanding of English, but many others spoke their native dialects, such as Burmese, Malay, Indonesian, Hindi, Chinese, Thai, and other Asiatic languages. There was no official or state religion, but the dominant belief was Buddhism, at 43.4%. Christianity was in second, at about 27.5%. Atheism or irreligious people composed about 21% of the population, and about 8.1% was Hindu or Islam, or considered Other. The currency of Andamania was the Andaman pound, which was heavily devised off of the British pound. Coins and bills came in the same types and amounts, although they were worth slightly more than a regular British pound. For comparison: In modern day, Andaman coins and bills are very difficult to find and are considered collectors' items. Some bills are worth up to $4000 USD. History Andamania has quite a short and concise history but still contained some noteworthy events and content. 1942 *'January - May, 1942': The Empire of Japan occupies British Burma. *'April 5 - 15, 1942': Britain negotiates with Japan to ignore occupying Andaman Islands, and somehow convince Japan that they are not worth it. *'April 16, 1942': The Republic is officially declared, and English major Richard Arroyo is declared President. The diplomat Harold Tblisi is declared Prime Minister. *'December 1942': Japan discovers the ploy behind the republic, but decides to not take action since it is of "no value" in their judgement. - 1944 *'May 1943': President Arroyo leaves the country for an emergency meeting in England; Harold Tblisi takes over both positions for a brief period. *'August 1943': Supporters in Indonesia officially merge a small part of their nation into Andamania. The occupied government is unable to do much about it. *'Fall 1943': Richard Arroyo returns from England and resumes his presidency. *'June 7, 1944': Citizens receive word of the success of D-Day in Europe. The country hosts a national celebration. *'November 1944': American troops arrive in Andamania for resupplying before returning to the Pacific Theater. They are celebrated as heroes when they arrive. 1945 *'March 27, 1945': Burmese troops begin their offensive to push out Japanese occupiers. *'May 1, 1945': Japan officially pulls out remaining troops and returns the territory to Britain. *'May 2, 1945': The War ends in Europe as Germany surrenders. A new national celebration is held. *'May - August 1945': Andamania begins negotiations with England to stay independent for another year. Britain does not accept the request. * August 6-9, 1945: Nuclear bombs are dropped in Japan. While this is a major victory for the Allies, President Arroyo asks the country to mourn instead of celebrate. * September 2, 1945: World War II officially ends. * October 1, 1945: Burmese troops take over the northern territory of Andamania, with little resistance. No casualties are reported. * October 5, 1945: Supported by the British, Andamania is invaded by Burma and the country ceases to exist. There are very few casualties and no deaths. Richard Arroyo returns to Britain and Harold Tblisi returns as well. Military Andamania had an organized but small defense force consisting of only 1,700 personnel. They never engaged in any offensives but did lend supplies to America to support the cause against Japan. When the country was occupied in October of 1945, the forces officially disbanded and did not oppose the occupying force. The personnel of the force were transferred over to British command. The Navy consisted of one small fighter, two submarines, and four PT boats. These boats rarely left their homeland and did not engage in any combat. The Air Force consisted of one single Lockheed P-38 Lightning (leased from the United States) used solely for air shows. When the country ceased to exist, the P-38 was disassembled returned to the United States Air Force. The Coast Guard existed in coalition with the Navy. The Coast Guard used the four PT boats from the navy to patrol the seas, and also to escort the tours to Burma, as mentioned in the next section. There was no Marine or National Guard branch, and volunteering was not recommended or required. There was no conscription at any point during the country’s lifespan. The minimum age to enlist was 18. Transportation Small bridges existed between the islands, the the territory held in Indonesia and Burma were not connected by land. In 1943 a boating service was started to take customers from the islands to the mainland for a very inexpensive price. Tourism was common for these services, as well as business meetings and vacationing. The route from Port Burma to the Burmese territory was cautioned though, as the Japanese would be nearby once they arrived on the mainland. These trips were slightly more expensive and went less often, but never experienced any danger besides minor maintenance issues. Crime and enforcement The country’s small size was an immense factor in lowering crime. A police force did exist, although it was usually used for emergencies and less so for criminal reports. There was only one prison on the island, the Port Burma Correctional Facility (PBCF), which is is now called the Port Blair Detention Center. There was also a smaller, less occupied detention center made for juvenile delinquents. The prison had enough cells for 250 inmates, which was more than enough considering it was never completely full at any point. The juvenile detention center was sparsely used at all and had less than 100 occupants at any time between 1942 - 1945. There were incidents of minor arrests, the most common being from people harassing or assaulting the island natives. The largest crime that occurred in Andamania was when the bank was robbed by a group of young delinquents. These delinquents were speedily stopped and institutionalized into the Detention Center. Vehicular accidents were a rarity, with only 16 happening in the country’s history. Drivers were heavily encouraged to drive slow and each person was given a free roadmap of the area, as to allow them to become familiar with the land. Healthcare There were a total of four major hospitals - two in Port Burma, one in Aceh, and one in Burma. There were also minor hospitals and clinics in smaller cities. Each hospital was approximately the same size, large enough to fit between 200 - 500 patients each. The smaller hospitals had enough room for 100 patients, and the clinics had enough for 30 patients (although clinics usually referred or transported patients to the hospitals). Doctors were graciously paid and nurses were given salary boosts frequently. Healthcare was very cheap, and doctors appointments cost only 1£. In the case of an accident, the ambulance trip and the required rehabilitation would be nullified of any cost, and the cost was paid by the government. Vaccines were also heavily encouraged and almost considered necessary to thrive. The country wanted to keep disease to an absolute minimum, so vaccines for Diphtheria, Smallpox, Pertussis (whooping cough), and Influenza became heavily advertised, to the point where activities were done where people could get free vaccines. Education There was one daycare/preschool, a kindergarten, a primary school, and a high school. The daycare was built for small children and toddlers under age 5. The kindergarten was where learning began, for ages 5-6. The primary school covered children ages 6 - 14, and where formal schooling began. The high school covered teenagers aged 14 - 18, and was where they would began their trek to college or the workforce. There were no colleges on Andamania, so graduates of the high school had to attend a college in England, the British Raj, or in a nearby country that would accept them. The grading system worked as follows: For the primary school and high school, the grade succession worked as follows: Andamanian students were given material in the exact same fashion as British students did in the U.K. International relationships Andamania retained an alliance with Britain and the State of Burma for its entire lifespan. It created an American alliance in 1943, a Chinese alliance in 1944, and an Indonesian alliance in 1945. It did not declare any wars and its only official enemy was Japan. Flag The flag is a unique one. It depicts an isometric angle view of green land next to a blue ocean, with a cyan sky above. A golden dove flies above the landscape. A rising sun is seen on the right (east) of the flag, and a moon is seen on the left (west) of the flag, representing the day cycle. After the country ceased to exist in 1945, the flag was replaced with a British Union Jack and a coat of arms depicting a merchant vessel. ---- Voir cet article en français Category:Asia Category:East Asia Category:South Asia Category:Small Countries Category:Islands Category:Countries created by FreddyOfAxes Category:Indian Ocean Category:Andamanian Island Republic Category:Country Category:Countries